1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly, a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) having the backlight assembly, and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a backlight assembly having improved structure at a lateral part thereof, an LCD having the backlight assembly, and a manufacturing method of the LCD.
2. Description of the Related Art
As display devices are used in everyday life, the liquid crystal display (“LCD”) has been gaining popularity The LCD has a liquid crystal (“LC”) panel which includes a pair of opposing substrates with a liquid crystal layer therebetween. The LCD also has a backlight assembly since the liquid crystal layer is not self-emissive. The backlight assembly is located behind or below the LC panel to provide light to the liquid crystal layer.
The backlight assembly is classified into two groups according to the location of a light source, a direct light backlight assembly and an edge light backlight assembly. In the direct light backlight assembly, the light source is located behind the LC panel with at least one optical member therebetween to enhance the illumination uniformity and/or viewing angle.
The backlight assembly also requires a bottom frame for receiving light sources and supporting the optical member. Specifically, light emitting portions of the light sources are disposed on or above a light source receiving part of the bottom frame while heat emitting electrode portions of the light sources are covered by and hidden behind a side frame positioned at a lateral part of the light source receiving part of the bottom frame.
Here, each of the electrode portions of the light sources are almost fully enclosed by the side frame and each of the electrode portions of the light sources continuously radiate heat; hence, there would be excessive heat at lateral parts of the backlight assembly. The excessive heat is problematic because it may cause a fire on the side frame at the lateral part which is a safety concern.
To solve the disadvantage above, highly heat endurable material is used in manufacturing the side frame.